Starbucks drops the coffee from its new logo

Going cold: Starbucks customers and brand experts are not convinced by the logo

Starbucks has risked infuriating customers by unveiling a new logo that omits its name and the word "coffee".

The green logo is Starbucks' representation of a female siren — a half-human mythical temptress who led sailors to their deaths.

The change was announced during a webcast of a company meeting and ties in with the firm's push to build brands outside its cafés.

"Even though we have been, and always will be, a coffee company and retailer, it's possible we'll have other products with our name on it and no coffee in it," said chief executive Howard Schultz.

The American coffee giant has not changed its logo since it went public in 1992.

But Starbucks fans were not all impressed and hundreds of comments on the group's website called for its name to be put back into the logo.

One customer, called MimiKatz on the website, wrote: "Who's the bonehead in your marketing department that removed the world-famous name of Starbucks Coffee from your new logo? This gold card user isn't impressed!"

Brand experts also criticised the move.

"I think it's nuts," said James Gregory, chief executive of brand consulting firm Core Brand. "What's it going to be - the coffee formerly known as Starbucks?"